Whale shark season is back around Koh Tao

Yes, this is the time everyone quietly hopes for.

The best part? You don’t need to be an experienced diver to have a chance of seeing one.

Many sightings happen during regular training dives — sometimes when you least expect them.

Joining a scuba course right now means you’re not only learning new skills, but also stepping into the water at one of the most exciting times of the year. And if you’re lucky, your first encounters underwater might include the ocean’s most gentle giant.

No guarantees of course — that’s the beauty of it — but it’s always a pretty good reason to start.

The chance of seeing a whale shark during your training dives is real

— It doesn’t happen every day, but it happens often enough to keep everyone looking out into the blue a bit longer.

It’s not only the deeper pinnacles either.

There have been some unforgettable encounters during training dives at sites like White Rock, Twins, and Hin Pee Wee — places where SSI open water divers are simply focusing on their skills when something incredible suddenly passes by.

Imagine learning your first skills underwater, getting comfortable with your breathing… and then a giant shadow slowly appears in the distance.

One of the main advantages of this course is the depth. Advanced training includes deep dives, often at offshore sites like Chumphon Pinnacle and Southwest Pinnacle.

These deeper, more exposed locations are where whale sharks are seen more often, as currents bring in rich marine life that attracts them.

Compared to Open Water dives at shallower sites, going deeper simply puts you in areas where encounters are more likely. Many SSI Advanced Open Water divers have had unforgettable whale shark sightings during their deep training dives.

Beyond the chance of seeing these gentle giants, the Advanced Open Water course helps you build confidence, improve your skills, and experience a different side of Koh Tao’s underwater world.

If you’re already certified, this is a great time to take the next step — and maybe be in the right place at the right moment.

Starting with Open Water builds your foundation in calm, shallow sites, where you get comfortable with the basics and enjoy your first real underwater experiences.

Then, moving straight into Advanced takes you deeper and further offshore, to dive sites like Chumphon Pinnacle and Southwest Pinnacle — exactly where whale sharks are more commonly spotted.

Doing SSI open water and advanced courses back-to-back means more time in the water, more variety in dive sites, and a much better chance of being in the right place when a whale shark special swims by.

It’s also a smoother learning experience. Instead of stopping after your beginner course, you keep progressing while everything is still fresh — building confidence, improving your buoyancy, and expanding your limits naturally.

Of course, whale shark sightings are never guaranteed. But if you’re going to be here during the season, giving yourself more dives, more depth, and more opportunities is the best way to make the most of it.

And even without the whale sharks, you’ll leave with stronger skills, more experience, and a completely different connection to the ocean.